A billion-rupee gas-theft scandal encompassing 15 Pasroor villages has sent a wave of panic through senior SNGPL officials, Pakistan Today has learnt. The scandal has been unearthed at a time when Faisalabad’s textile industry of Faisalabad is reeling from three-day weekly gas load-shedding which has resulted in closure of more than 1,000 industrial units, leaving thousands of the workers unemployed.
On a tip-off, SNGPL General Manager Sibghat Ullah Soori raided the Pasroor area to dismantle a vast network of illegal pipelines without gas meters. According to information gleaned by Pakistan Today, residents of Chak No 275 J Pansara Town on Jhang Road got gas connections from the mainline passing through the area located between Jhang and Faisalabad with the connivance of SNGPL officials.
This illegal practice was extended to 14 other adjoining villages.
Soori told reporters that the scam was discovered about six months ago when he took charge of office. He said some influential local figures had been trying to hush the matter up and were also threatening SNGPL officials and therefore he had to take police’s help. He said that an inquiry into the scandal had been launched and any SNGPL officer or worker found involved would be dealt with sternly.
Soori and Executive Engineer Shahid Shaukat were escorted by a large police force when they raided the villages. They were met with stiff resistance from the villagers who alleged they paid SNGPL officials Rs 2500 to Rs 5000 for illegal gas connections and that they had been paying them Rs 10 million on a monthly basis for the last three years.
Sources said SNGPL employees demand bribes for installation of new gas meters. It takes 52 weeks for installation of a gas meter after issuance of a Demand Notice as per policy but there are several cases in which people have to wait for years to get new connections. On the other hand, if a consumer pays Rs 50,000 in bribe, they get a gas connection instantly.
The members of civil society have condemned the SNGPL authorities for turning a blind eye to illegal gas connections for three long years. They have appealed to Chief Justice of Pakistan Iftikhar Mohammad Chaudhry to take suo motu notice of the scandal.
Gambling Den Raided: Police raided a casino and arrested 18 gamblers on Friday. Police also seized 25 mobile phones and Rs 30,000 stake money. General Bus Stand police post Sub-Inspector Mohammad Farooq was tipped off that a gambling activity was in progress in the Islam Nagar area under the jurisdiction of Civil Lines police. He raided the place along with a police team and caught the gamblers red handed.
The arrested men were identified as Munna, Pomi, Mahmood, Yasser Iqbal, Jameel, Imran, Tanveer Ahmed, Shahbaz, Nawaz, Shafiq, Abid and others. Police have registered a case.
Man kills wife: A woman was shot dead by her husband on Friday. Naseem, 30, a resident of Chak No. 599 GB, was married to Mohammad Ali from the same village. The couple used to quarrel on petty issues. On Friday, Mohammad Ali got infuriated after an argument with his wife and shot her dead. He fled after the incident. Police have registered a case on the complaint of Faisal Shahzad, the brother of the deceased women.
Six agents arrested outside Passport office: Assistant Commissioner Asif Chaudhry raided the passport office and arrested six men who were charging the visitors for tokens. On reports of corruption leaked by Pakistan Today last week, the DCO took notice of the matter constituted a raiding team. Pakistan Today had reported that he Passport office was the only place in the city where agents openly negotiated the money with the visitors.